Game or toy



June 5, 1945. 'R. E. JACKE I 2,377,498

GAME OR TOY Filed Jan. 10, 1944 H 5 H0? 39 Ha 3'5 50.x

- 31 wanton Patented June 5, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,377,498 b a [GAME on TOY r Raymond E. Jacke, Richmond, "Va. Application January 10, 1944, Serial No. 517,733

1 Claim. (o1. 273106) i The invention relates to an arrow principle directional bouncer toy.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple, practical, and inexpensive arrow principle directional bouncer toy or game designed both for individual amusement and for use by two or moreplayersin a game and comprising a stick or shaft equipped at both ends with resilient material and adapted, when thrown, tossed, or dropped against a hard surface such as the ground, floor, or wall, to rebound with long, graceful, surprisingly fascinating curves or rebound with a sharp tumor spin, according to the angle with which it contacts with said surface, and adapted also to rebound With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying in a horizontal position into the hand when both 1 ends of the toy strikethe ground, floor, or like surface, simultaneously. a

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy of this character comprising a rod or shaft equipped at one end with a ball of resilient material and at the other end with a resilient cap relatively light in weight compared with the weight of the ball and having a flanged crown of circular configuration, said'toy containing the arrow principle in the respect that the fulcrum or center of balance is very close to the head or ball end, so that the toy may be thrown with accuracy, and, when thrown into the air or against a wall, the ball will reverse the toy on the rebound andalways precede the cap.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an attractive arrow principle directional bouncer toy susceptible of ornamentation to a highdegree and light in weight from the standpoint'of safety in manipulation and with which there will be no more danger of injury or damage than can be attributed toan'brdinary rubber ballor similar toy, as both ends of the light weight tubu-Q lar shaft or rodare equippedwith rubber or other resilient material to afford protection from eye or otherinjury. u I r It is also an object of the invention to provide a directional bouncer toy comprising a tubular rod or shaft, aresilient ball on one end ofthe rod or shaft, and a resilient cap on the other end thereof, said ball and cap being provided with sockets receiving the ends of the rod orshaft and when the parts are assembled, suction due to the hollow rod or tube and said sockets will be suncient to retain the ball and the cap on the ends of the rod or tube or maybe utilized in-connection with other means, such as interlockingfribs or projections or an adhesive, forsecuringthe ball'and the cap on the rod or'shaft.

drawing, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction, may be resortedto without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing: i

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an arrow principle directional bouncer toy constructedvin accordance with this invention.

' Fig. 1A is a similar view, partly in section, illustrating a modification of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail view of a plain tubular rod or shaft.

Fig. 2A is a similar view of a rod or shaft having Jtransverse apertures for. interlocking engagement with nodules or protuberances of a socket and cap.

with a nipple forming an extension of the socket of the ball. a

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the cap shown in Fig. 1. a a

Fig. 4A is a detail sectional view of the cap illustrated in Fig. 1A of the drawing.

Fig. 4B is a detail sectional view of a cap showing another form of flange.

a Fig. 4C is a detail sectional view of a capillustrating still another form of flange and showing transverse annular ribs on the walls of the socket.

Referring articularly to Figs. 1, 3, and 4 of the accompanying drawing, the arrow principle directional bouncer toy or game comprises in its construction a tubular rod or shaft I, a ball 2 arranged on one end of the rod or shaft I, and a flanged cap3 mounted on the other end of the rod on shaft.

The rod or shaft l consists of a hollow tube preferably approximately sixteen inches in length and one-half inch in diameter but theshaft or rod may be of any desired length and of any diameter and of a thickness sufficient to prevent surface, to cause the toy to rebound into the hand in a horizontal position. The flanged crown of the cap may, as illustrated in Figs, 1 and 4, be substantially concavo-convex with its concave face facing outwardly, but, as illustrated in Figs.

1A and 4A of the drawing, the flanged cap may be provided with a flanged crown [5 of approximately concave-convex configuration having the convex face facing outwardly exteriorly of the cap. The crown of the capmay, as illustrated in the drawing, have a-relativelysharp peripheral edge or the edge may be blunt as shown in The tubular rod or shaft is susceptible of high ornamentation and when constructed of paper fiber, it may be coated with brig-htcolored pliocrown l6,while of substantially concavo-convex film, but, if desired, the entire rod may be made of film or plastic material. The toy may be made highly attractive by ornamenting the tube .or shaft or by making the tube or shaft of a mate rial which will present'an ornamental and attractive appearance. 1 1

.The resilient ball2, which is designed to be madeof sponge rubber having a-smooth wearing surface or cover; of regular playball variety, may be constru'ctedof any other kind of rubber or resilient material and it is preferably approxi-' mately' two and one-quarter inches in diameter when used on a sixteen inch rod or shaft but the ball may be of any desired siZeand-it is provided with a smooth socket 5 receiving one end of theflrodorshaft and "adapted, when the light weight hollow tube is, cappedat the other end, to form of the ball a suction cup whereby theball will be retained in place onthe hollow tube by suction." As a retaining means, the suction .is supplemented by azfriction'between the walls of the socket and the contacting surface of the tube butglue, cement, or-an'y other adhesive, may of coursebe employedfor securing the ball to the end of the :tube. Also, as illustrated in Fig. 3A of the drawing, the socket may be providedon its walls I with vprojections .or protuberances 6 which may conveniently be in the form, of nodulesfor engaging perforations"! of the tube shown in :Fig. 2A of the drawing, to provide an interlocking action between the ball and the tube;

Also, as illustrated in Fig. 3B of the drawing,

the socket may be provided with 'ap'lurality of annularribs flxprojecting inwardly laterally from the walls of, the socket and adapted to lit in annul'ar grooves 9 formed in the. exterior surface of the hollow tube, as illustrated in Fig. 2B of the drawing. H

, The ball may, as.illustrated in Figs. 1A and 30, be provided with an integral nipple l0 forming an extension of the socket H and adapted to increase the suction effect for retaining the ball on the end of the tube. An adhesive may also be employed with any of the form of balls illustrated in the drawing, to assist in securely retaining the ball on the end of the tube.

The resilient cap 3, whichmay be constructed like'th'e ball of any suitable material, consists of aCYlindIiCalbOdy portion forming av socket l2 to receive one end of the hollow .tube and closed at the outer end by a flanged crown l3 having an annular projecting flange Id. .The flange is designed to be approximately one inch to one and a quarter inches in diameter when therod is approximately sixteen inches in length and the ball approximately two and one-quarter inches in diameter and it hassufiicient resiliency, when thetoy is dropped and'the ball and :the cap simultaneously strike the ground, fio'or, 'or'other.

H In Fig. 4B of the drawing is illustrated a further modification of the cap in which the flanged configuration, presents its convex face at the ex- -terio'r and-isprovided with a substantially flat,

central area ll from which the exterior surface of the'fiange extends radially in a straight line toLits periphery. The cap showniin .Fig. 4B of the drawing is provided Jon the interior of its socket with projections or rotuberances IS in the form ofznodules for engaging. perforations .19 of the-hollowtub'e'shown in Fi'g. .2A of the drawing to provide an interlocking connection between the cap and the-hollow tube for supplementing the suction-action of the cap whioh, when the,

ball is arranged on the tube, is retained in place by suction. v.

In FigAC of thedrawingis illustrated another modification of the fianged'cap which is provided with'a'flanged crown ifl having afiat outer faceand tapered from the =b0dy portion of the cap to the periphery or theflange, forming a sharp peripheral edge. The flanged capillustrated in Fig. 4 is provided'on'the-interior of its cylindrical body portion with annular ribs 2'] toengage annulargrooves '22 formed'in the end of the hollow tube, as illustrated in Fig, 2B of the drawing,'to provide an interlocking action between thewalls of the socket of the fiangedcap and the contactingsurface of the-hollow tube for supplementing thesuctionaction of the cap in retaining the latter on theend of the tube. It

will of course be understood that adhesive materi'al such as-glue, cement, or the like; may be employed :for supplementing friction when the ball and" the cap are arrangedonthe solid-rod or shaft-4 illustrated in Fig. '20 of thedrawing and that the means for interlocking the ball and the flanged cap-with the rod-or shaft may be employed with either a hollow tube or a'solid rod. [The center ofbalancegof the toyis'located very closeto the front or ball end" o'f'thetoy, so that 'the'to'y' will involve the arrow principle and may be accurately thrown like an/arrow, iavelin, lance, orfsimil'ar weapon, and it may be thrown'or tossed against the .ground, floor, or similar sure face, or against a wall. and may bemad'efin it's rebound to turn end for en'd andiinjits rebound the -ball will always -.precede,the.- ca'p, It may .be

used for individual amusementor for "playing games and it may be. thrown j'again'st asurface withthe rod or shaft at various 'angles to' the surface-for causing'the rebound to partake the nature of- ;a long graceful curve or .aLsharp tumor spin, and it may be used as-a meansffo'rj trainingfthe eye and :the hand, as the 'individualplayer, when the -toy istmown, may run forward and catch the toy on therebound. Also, thetoy may be used as a game apparatus andbe'. thrown or tossed from one side to the other' between players, and, when caught, be thrown. or tossedj again into-action or play towards the player or players at the opposite side from the player throwing the toy.

The toy is light in weight and will not, should it strike a person, cause any more injury than can be attributed to an ordinary rubber ball and the rod or shaft, when made of paper fiber, or cellulose plastic will be strong enough to resist breakage in play, and, at the same time, will adapt the toy particularly for the use of children and substantially avoid any liability to injury, especially as both ends of the rod or shaft are protected by resilient material.

One end of a cord may be attached to the rod or shaft at any portion thereof and in any suitable manner and the other end may be provided with suitable means for attaching it to the finger or wrist of a person. A cord of this character is adapted to retrieve the bouncer or alter its natural rebound, causing interesting variations due to skill'in manipulation.

What is claimed is:

A toy of the class described adapted to be employed as a game apparatus and comprising a rod or shaft, a relatively heavy resilient ball secured erally projecting resilient annular peripheral flange presenting a surface contacting side edge and operating to cause a rebound of said other end of the rod or shaft upon contact with a surface, the relatively heavy ball and the thin laterally extending fiange causing the two ends of the rod or shaft to behave differently.

RAYMOND E. ACKE. 

